User blog:Cfp3157/Film Review: Diversity and Optimism Are Championed in the Dynamic "Crazy Rich Asians"
All it takes is one yes; after 25 years since the last American film to have an all-Asian cast in The Joy Luck Club and 18 years after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the first Asian film to receive American accolades, the Asian community has finally received another seal of approval to prove themselves in American cinema. And the result is Crazy Rich Asians, an all-out fantastic effort that shows passion and enjoyment from everyone involved both behind and in front of the camera. With engaging storytelling, entertaining fleshed out characters, and an energetic and intelligent directing influence, Crazy Rich Asians proves without doubt that diversity in film and quality in film are not mutually exclusive. The Cast With an enthusiastic ensemble formed by some of the most engaging and experienced Asian actors working in the industry, as well as several worthy newcomers, Crazy Rich Asians lives and dies off of the cast it has built. Of the supporting cast, Awkwafina will likely be the most memorable as the hip and boisterous best friend to Constance Wu's Rachel. The YouTube star turned legitimate actor plays effortlessly off of her character's father Ken Jeong, as well as the flamboyantly entertaining Nico Santos. In spite of limited screentime, Tan Kheng Hua shines as she sends forth all the selfless love and hardwork that immigrant and single parents give to their children, while Chris Pang adds a layer of stoicism and traditional pragmatism to offset Henry Golding's boundless optimism in their shared scenes. Gemma Chan is proving herself to be a dynamic and powerful actress, taking a difficult supporting plotline and deftly carrying it. Not only does she sell the dramatic moments of it well when playing alongside Pierre Png as her husband, but she's also engaging and likeable when she falls into the larger ensemble. Michelle Yeoh is simply phenomenal as the iron-willed matriarch, with her distant and critical gaze always putting audiences at unease. Despite that, she never plays Eleanor as a villain, but instead as someone who has worked hard and will fight with all her will to ensure the best for her family. The lead couple simply ooze chemistry off of each other, with Constance Wu and especially Henry Golding shining. Wu's Rachel is a clever and enlightening performance, selling several emotions with inexplicable ease. Anxiety, self-doubt, confidence, fear, kindness, and ultimately humanity; Wu makes it look easy, while never in an unrealistic way. Henry Golding is about to be a bonafide star, oozing the old school style likeability and charisma that will make audiences fall in love with him. For a feature film debut, Henry Goulding might just be the best performance as he willingly dives headfirst into Nick's sense of optimism and clear, upright moral sensibilities. Score: 5 out of 5 The Story Penned by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, the story of Crazy Rich Asians pulls off a difficult task of appealing to both rom-com fanatics and providing an accurate portrayal of Asians within the world. And they do so effortlessly, delivering a story that is efficient and engaging, as well as characters and dialogue that flow naturally. The amount of small touches and moments that separate this film from typical rom-com fair are abundant, leaving notes and foreshadowing objects that make it a far more intelligent film than the classic declarations of love and mechanics of the genre would make it appear. Adapted from the book by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of Rachel Chu, the daughter of an immigrant real estate dealer, who decides to join her longtime boyfriend Nick Young to meet his family in Singapore for the weekend as they attend his best friend's wedding. Rachel is met with warm arms by Nick's friends, as well as his cousins Astrid and Oliver, and her best friend from college and her family. However, cultures clash when Rachel meets Nick's mother Eleanor, who is revealed to be the matriarch of the richest family in all of Singapore. One thing that absolutely soars about this film is how it deals with Asian culture. While the stereotypes are often brought onto display for the briefest of moments, those are actually to the film's benefit as it shows a depiction of the culture and personality of Asians that is based in truth. The sense of honor and duty in Asian families and the harsh disparity between Asians and Asian-Americans are brought to the forefront, but the smaller details such as dumpling making and Western songs of yesteryear as modern hits make it feel light and fun. Additionally, it builds a roster of characters that refuse to be put into marginal categories, with all main characters being interesting and compelling while all the supporting ones serve to enhance the core cast. Score: 5 out of 5 The Direction When directors are given stories they want to tell, the results are almost always fantastic. John M. Chu has given audiences the gold standard of that coda, with his unabashedly Asian-American perspective and influence being abundant throughout the film. He allows his own culture and ideologies to flow organically into the film, but also manages to deliver flawless presentation as a nonracially driven director. He and editor Myron Kerstein keep the film quick and energetic, never lingering longer than necessary and always pushing the momentum forward. A huge praise must be put upon the production crew, especially production designer Nelson Coates. The world of culture and excess that they built for the Young family is outstanding, creating an environment that displays a sense of wealth and abundance that never comes off as debaucherous or arrogant. The wedding and parties show a level of scale that sees a family that has become the titans of their world, but they've also earned that position. This is all caught with crystal clear vision from cinematographer Vanja Cernjul, whose fast-moving camera only pauses at the moments of heightened emotion and important, pivotal times in the narrative. Finally, the music choices are great in Crazy Rich Asians. Songs that are both classic to American audiences by their notes and undoubtedly Asian hits all play in the language of the land, adding a level of authenticity that makes the soundtrack even more enjoyable. The score is subtle, which is all one could ask for in a film that relies on its musical cues at only the most necessary moments. Overall, John M. Chu and crew have done a masterful job at assembling this film. Score: 5 out of 5 Final Verdict Take an engaging cast, well-written screenplay, and a crafts team all delivering passionate work, and a successful film is sure to follow. It's a bonafide hit film, with all the audience pleasing moments and filmmaking skill to become a classic for both genre fans and the artsy members of the film community. And all of this is done in a distinctly Asian way; Crazy Rich Asians is a good film because of the way it provides a voice to the Asian community that is accurate, fair, and loud. However, it is a great film because it takes that voice and speaks to everyone. Final Score: 100% Potential Ballot Spots: *Best Picture *Best Director - John M. Chu *Best Lead Actor - Henry Golding *Best Lead Actress - Constance Wu *Best Supporting Actress - Michelle Yeoh *Best Adapted Screenplay *Best Production Design *Best Editing *Best Limited Female Performance - Tan Kheng Hua *Best Cast Ensemble Category:Blog posts Category:Reviews Category:2018 Reviews